BeautyNZ Magazine Autumn 2024

Business BITES
for business owners
Key and entrepreneurs
learnings
Some people look at business owners and 'believe they have
it made’. Little do they know the hard work that has been
invested to take the business to where it is; what you have
not spent, the late nights and weekends you work and the
holidays taken where your business goes with you.
From my learnings these
are what I know:
• Get expert advice and advisors, such
as a Business mentor/coach/external
consultant, especially in the early
stages or when things change.
• Build a competent and committed
team, lead them and don’t let
gossip in.
• Maintain a positive outlook to
your team, customers/clients and
celebrate success with them.
• Embrace continuous learning.
• Prioritise customer experience
and adapt to industry trends and
innovations as this will benefit them
and in turn your business.
By
Bridgette Jackson
Bridgette Jackson is a CDC-certified
Divorce/Separation Coach with a
post graduate dispute resolution
qualification. She is also a trained
divorce mediator (AIMNZ)
Relationship Coach (Institute for
Life Coach Training) and member of
the Institute of Executive Coaching
and Leadership (accredited by
the ICF - International Coaching
Federation). Bridgette is also an
enrolled barrister and solicitor of
the High Court of New Zealand.
Originally I started a business in 2001,
with my now ex-husband, after we had
moved to Sydney. We started with
$25,000 capital and launched Castle
Hampers. In the first few years, we
lived above the office, relied on canned
goods for dinners, and favoured the
warmth of the office downstairs. This
was so we could put as much money
back into the business as we could. I
managed the HR, admin, marketing and
charity aspects.
After three years we relocated Castle
Hampers from Sydney to Melbourne,
growing from a team of two to a team of
200. After multiple offers, we accepted
a multi-million dollar deal, selling
to Chrisco. We moved back to New
Zealand still in our 20’s, by then with
children. It may sound like we lived the
dream, but it wasn't without hard work
and sacrifice, such as having my first
child and returning to work days later.
Many years later I founded Equal Exes
having navigated a non-amicable divorce.
During this time I knew there had to
be a better and more positive way and
wanted to help other people avoid what
I had gone through. Five years on, I cofounded
Equal Group, expanding Equal
Exes. This hasn’t come without sacrifice,
hard work and determination.
• Practicing effective time
management, delegating where
you can will allow you to focus on
high-value opportunities that will
contribute to growth.
• Embrace challenges as opportunities
to learn.
• Set clear goals and strategies and
review them often and take nothing
for granted.
• Take time out to see ahead – you
cannot work in and on your business,
without a clear head.
• Eat right for your body type, exercise
and keep a clear head in order to lead
people.
• Remember your team are not your
friends.
• Collaborate, connect and be a
connector.
• Employ specialists in the areas that
are not your strengths.
• Don’t be afraid to make the hard calls.
• You don’t know what you don’t know
– look to other aligned businesses
and what you can learn from them.
60 BEAUTYNZ MAGAZINE